Match Report

26

Oct 12

Match Report: Semi Final 1 - Delhi Daredevils vs Lions

Lions reach CLT20 2012 finals on back of 22-run win

The Delhi Daredevils bowed out of the Karbonn Smart Champions League Twenty20 after losing to Highveld Lions by 22 runs in the first semi-final at Kingsmead.

The Virender Sehwag-David Warner (21) opening pair got separated on just the third ball of the innings, as the Indian opener slogged himself out for a golden duck. The Australian left-hander combined with Kevin Pietersen for 35 runs, before top-edging Chris Morris and presenting him with a return catch.

The Lions tightened the noose after dismissing both DD openers and gave away only 13 runs from the sixth to ninth overs. The pressure kept mounting and Unmukt Chand succumbed to it.

Irfan Pathan was sent ahead of Ross Taylor to get a few quick runs but managed only a run. Later Dirk Nannes took a brilliant catch off his own bowling to dismiss Taylor and Naman Ojha was taken in the same fashion by Jean Symes. Delhi Daredevils stared down the barrel at 91/7 in the 16th over. Their only hope was Kevin Pietersen, who was holding the tattered innings at one end with a half-century. But with the asking rate mounting rapidly, it got too much even for Pietersen as well. He mistimed a pull to give Morris his second wicket. That was Morris’ last over and he finished with extraordinary figures of 2 for 7 in four overs.

Earlier, after losing the toss, Lions captain Alviro Petersen came out to open the batting with intent, scoring two boundaries of Irfan Pathan in the first over. In the fifth over, he once again took the attack to Irfan, this time, with more flamboyance, scooping the ball over the wicketkeeper’s head for four and then flat-batting one over mid-off for a six. The Petersen show didn’t last long. Umesh Yadav enticed him into a wild swipe straight to Naman Ojha behind the wicket.

Yadav, who turned 25 today, gave himself a nice little birthday present by starting his spell with a wicket-maiden over. He could’ve had another wicket in his second over had Unmukt Chand not put down a sitter in the deep to give a reprieve to Quinton de Kock. Chand eventually caught de Kock seven balls later, off Ajit Agarkar’s bowling.

Lions’ in-form opener Gulam Bodi kept one end secure by batting till the 18th over. He played a solid innings of 50 runs from 49 balls, before perishing to Yadav’s pace. Neil McKenzie joined him to build the best partnership of the innings, worth 59 runs. Man of the Match McKenzie’s blistering 28-ball unbeaten knock of 46 runs included four fours a pull off Morkel that went or a six.

In the 19th over, drama unfolded as Morkel bounced Jean Symes out off the second ball. The next two balls would’ve fetched him wickets as well, had Yadav and Kevin Pietersen held on to the catches that came their way. In all, the Daredevils put down three catches. Yadav led the bowling with 2 for 20 in four overs. Morkel, Agarkar and Pavan Negi picked up a wicket each.

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